Dark Force Fleet Chronicles
by MJDarkrider
Summary: Written by my friend back in the year 2000. Currently discontinued, due to the fact that she's working on a major rewrite.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, etc. belong to George Lucas. Jessica Darken and other original characters belong to the authors of this story. No money is being made off of this story.**

* * *

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**17 Years Earlier**

Lando Calrissian, Han Solo, and Princess Leia walked down the streets of Cloud City unaware of the woman following behind them. Her dark brown hair and porcelain complection was hidden by her black cloak. Her brown eyes took in every detail of the quartet in front of her. At her side was a rare antique: her lightsaber. She was the last of her kind, so to speak.

In a way, that was why she was there. Luke Skywalker, another of her "kind," would be arriving into a trap. She had to keep Skywalker from learning the truth that Darth Vader was his father. Skywalker was to most considered the last Jedi Knight, yet they were unaware of her status. But, again, her own family relations were not to be desired, either, so she remained hidden away from the world. Well, that and the fact that the Imperial bounty on her head was enough to scare anyone into suicide.

She reached out with her senses to hear what Calrissian was saying. She could feel a sudden sense of betrayal emanating from him as he spoke, "I've just made a deal that will keep the Empire out of here forever." He then opened the door in front of him.

His presence hit her before she could hear his mechanical breathing. Darth Vader! Somehow, she should have seen this, but she didn't. She took her lightsaber from her belt. Most people were running from the scene unfolding before them, but she approached it.

The quartet of Solo, Calrissian, the Wookiee, and Princess Leia vanished behind the door. _Oh,_ she thought, _you won't win that easily, Vader!_ She then walked up to the door, and actually smiled at stormtroopers who looked at her questioningly. _My Corellian courage,_ she thought. And with a movement so fast that none of the troopers could detect, she drew her blaster in one hand and ignited her saber in the other. The odds weren't good, but as a Corellian, she could have cared less about the odds.

She began to fire her blaster, the force guiding each bolt to a precise target, and used her saber to one-handedly deflect the bolts coming her way. Her plan seemed so naive, but it was working. Well, working fine until a trooper set his rifle to stun. He fired at her and though she tried to block the blue arcs with her lightsaber, it didn't work. The saber shorted out, and she fell to the floor. The few remaining troopers walked over to her, the embarrassment of being defeated by a lone Jedi - a woman at that - spread over them. The trooper nearest her picked up her shorted out lightsaber. "Lord Vader," he said into his comlink, "we have a prisoner. You might be interested in her . . ."

Darth Vader stepped onto the holo projector in front of him. "My master, I contact you of a new find," he said, although he was impatient to get back to the present tortures of Captain Solo and the Princess. The image of the Emperor Palpatine appeared, filling the void of the small room. "Yes. I have foreseen this new Jedi. She must be turned and brought to me immediately."

Vader was shocked few times in his life, and this time was one of them. The Emperor knew who she was, yet he was so decided on her being turned to the Dark Side. It seemed dangerous for him to just bring her to the Emperor. And yet, did the Emperor not care about Skywalker? Was she more important than he was? More powerful even?

"Jessica Darken will be brought to me," the Emperor said again, breaking Vader's flurry of unvoiced questions. "No matter the cost."

"As you wish, my master," Vader answered back. He ended the transmission abruptly, and stalked to the holding cell where the girl was. The name kept plaguing him though. _Darken,_ he thought, _where have I heard that name before?_

Jessica Darken looked around her, the dim glow of a red lightsaber catching her full attention. The mechanical breathing was present, so she assumed Vader had come to dispatch her to the Other Side like he did her parents. Yet, he said nothing as he tossed her, her lightsaber. She ignited it, her own blade casting an amethyst glow about the room. Without warning, Vader then jumped at her. She blocked his blow with enough force that it sent him stumbling back a step. She was more powerful than he had thought. He attacked again, and she blocked again. Her careful movements were those only of blocking his attacking force. At the rate they were going, Vader realized, it would take some before anyone would emerge victorious. And yet, Skywalker would be arriving soon, and he still had to put Captain Solo in carbon freeze. _Well, maybe a few choice words will help,_ he thought. "Give yourself to the Dark Side. Anything you want, you can have. Power, beauty, everything you crave. All you have to do is give yourself to the Dark Side."

Through gasping breaths, she laughed at him. "Never!" she yelled out. "Hate to disappoint you, but I will never turn." But yet, if the tides didn't turn soon, she knew she would have to give in.

"Brave words," Vader called back. "I look forward to cramming them down your throat!" He would turn her no matter the cost, just like the Emperor ordered.

Suddenly, a slight tremble in the Force touched her. It was Skywalker! He wasn't there at Cloud City yet, but he was near. Perhaps he had just dropped out of hyperspace, but whatever it was, she knew she had little time left. Her Force grip was shattered at her distraction, and she fought to regain it. Taking advantage of her weak concentration, Vader to the moment to cripple her. He gathered the Force, digging deep into the Dark Side. He then pulled with the Force, and threw debris from the room at her. From all sides, pieces of machinery, sections of command controls hit her. A piece caught her just right and caused her vision to blur. Lightheaded, she fell to the floor, her saber falling from her hand. It was over in just that brief moment, and she knew she had lost.

Vader stood over her like an omniscient shadow. She finally stood when she regained her sense of balance, although the blur in her vision was still present. Vader stared directly into her eyes through his helmet. He could see the defeat there and knew he had won. Wordlessly, she bowed down in front of him, all the time hearing what her mother had told her, something that all Jedi knew: "Once you start down the Dark Path, forever will it dominate your destiny."


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**Present Day**

Admiral Jessica Darken watched as her fleet conducted war games deep in the Unknown Regions. For sixteen years, the fleet - consisting of one _Super_-class Star Destroyer, the _Dark Force_, four _Imperial_-class Star Destroyers, and five _Victory_-class Star Destroyers - had jumped from system to system there, having been placed there to keep charge on the Unknown Regions. Grand Admiral Thrawn had taken charge of the territories during the war, but after Palpatine was killed, he began his campaign and left the Unknown Regions, leaving his trusted people in charge. No where did Jessica fit into his plans, and she basically ignored him.

Except now, though, the Empire was at peace with the New Republic. Well, they were anyway. Economic and political troubles had caused the Empire to decline once again, and there was more fighting with the New Republic. Admiral Pellaeon and his forces were sticking with the New Republic, but a little known Moff named Prtruph was leading the other half of the divided Empire and fighting against Pellaeon and the New Republic. Yet, that was so far away, and no one knew about Jessica and her fleet.

Jessica sighed as she watched. She was on the _Imperial Pride_, the ship that was second in command, and was over seeing the crew's actions. Unlike the _Dark Force_, a Super Star Destroyer, the _Imperial Pride_ was an _Imperial_-class Star Destroyer. She always held her flag on the _Dark Force_, though. It was her home. In fact, that ship was the only thing she had known as home for the past sixteen years.

She turned and walked toward a control center. As she walked to the board, she went past Captain Rallen Electra. He flashed her a smile, one that was supposed to cover up his treachery and deceit, but always failed. Yes, she knew of his treason, yet did nothing about it. Yet. She had her own plans, and in time she would carry them out, but now was not the time. To let him think that he had fooled her, she smiled back.

Unfortunately, Electra was her second in command. She would relish the day she would accuse him of treason and expose him for the coward he was. _Once you reveal your plans, Electra, I will reveal mine, which fortunately don't involve you,_ she thought.

She looked over the shoulder of a young ensign at the control board. The _Imperial_-class ships _Barenda_ and _Rotana_ were firing upon the _Dark Force_. Its shields were almost at collapse. "Electra, I think I've seen enough. Send a message to Captain Darkrider. Have him meet my shuttle in the _Dark Force_'s docking bay."

"As you wish, Admiral."

Jessica walked down the ramp of her shuttle. She looked at the only figure standing in bay: Captain Jeff Darkrider. He had dark-brown hair which was combed neatly. His eyes were an icy blue. His facial features were smooth, and he was very handsome.

Jessica smiled, rare on her behalf since she always hid her emotions. "I am somewhat . . . displeased with what the crew did today."

"Jessica," he said, formalities long past for him and her. They were best friends. And Jeff wished they were more than that. He loved her, but she was not in love with him. Jeff knew that she knew that he was in love with her, though. She did love him like a brother, though, and that counted for a lot. "You know as well as I do that being in space for sixteen years without a long vacation will make anyone restless."

"I know. It's just that . . . I don't know . . . " She said, her voice becoming almost distressed, but not quite.

"Jessica, I think you do know. We both do." She sighed and finally gave in to her plans. "But do you think the Empire wants another leader?"

* * *

Captain Rallen Electra paced nervously in his quarters on the Dark Force. His blonde hair was spiked, and his eyes were a deep brown, almost black. His Imperial uniform was neat and smooth. Few things made him nervous, yet he couldn't help but be just that as he paced. He turned his eyes toward the object that made him nervous: a holo projector.

"I told you never to contact me here," he told the person in the holo.

"Ah, yes, well, it is very important," Grand Moff Prtruph said. The Moff was a plump man, his face covered with the scars of battle. And even more so, he was in charge of half the Empire. His latest alliance - that with Electra - was desperately needed. Soon, the Dark Force Fleet would be in his hands, and he could finally crush Pellaeon and then move on to the New Republic.

"Yes, I am sure it is . . . " Electra said sarcastically.

"Have you disposed of the Admiral yet?"

"No, in time I will. I will also dispose of that meddlesome Captain Darkrider. He is loyal to the admiral and would stand by her to the death."

"Yes, I see your point. Eliminate him as well. You know, it is such a waste. The admiral is very beautiful . . . " Prtruph had acquired a taste for keeping beautiful women as his slaves. If he was ever walking down the street and saw a woman he liked, he would have her brought to him. If her family ever came looking for her, the consequences would be . . . dire. He began to think that Jessica Darken would make an excellent addition to his group. She was beautiful, and that was all that mattered.

Electra knew exactly what Prtruph was thinking and said, "No! I don't want any loose ends. Loose ends always come back to haunt someone. She will be better off dead."

"I suppose you are right. What about her powers? Is she not the--"

Electra cut him off abruptly. "I do not believe in her ways. The Force is just some ancient religion that she believes in. I've never even seen her use those so-called powers. She does not intimidate me. I will kill her. And forget about the rumors you hear about her family. It is not true. If it was, she'd be in control of the Empire now."

"Well, whatever you say, Electra. But, I can still send you out some ysalamari. If she is as powerful as they say, you will need them."

"I suppose I can make an arrangement to have some brought to one of the other ships in the fleet. Well, if that is all, I must cut this transmission short. The ship's sensors could detect it any minute."

"Ah, yes. Well, always a pleasure, Electra."

"Yes, you too." Electra then cut the transmission. It was never a pleasure to talk to Prtruph. And sometimes, Electra thought never was a dry understatement.

One thing Prtruph lacked was patience. Patience was one of Electra's virtues. And eliminating loose ends was another of his hidden virtues. Patience, though, was something he always had.

No, Electra would have patience and execute all loose ends. In time, he would kill Jessica Darken and enjoy it. And if time provided, he would kill her slowly and painfully, without rushing through it like an impatient one. And then he would engage his entire plan - one that did not include Prtruph.

Yes, there would be a new ruler for the Empire. But it would not be Prtruph. Electra smiled into a mirror in the fresher. "Emperor Electra sounds nice," he said to the only witnesses he had: the walls. He then laughed long and menacingly.

Jessica Darken walked into her quarters on the _Dark Force_. She immediately removed her boots and socks to walk across the cool, black neocel flooring. She sank into the carpet to her ankles. She smiled, actually enjoying that one thing about her room. She walked over to her bed, which was round and had six posts supporting a canopy of black mialitil lace. Her entire room was done in back and was so large it could easily house two large families. The Emperor had bestowed it upon her as a gift. The color black supposedly reflecting her dark side.

She was not of the dark path anymore, though. She had renounced it long ago after a strenuous inner conflict. She did not even know why she was still with the Empire. No, she did know, and had thought her reason justified. The crews of her ships were her friends. She could not stand to let them be prosecuted by the New Republic if she turned herself in. They trusted and respected her, and that was something hard to come by in the Empire. Not to mention the order and stability that was in the Empire - without murder, deceit, and all those other dark secrets the Empire had- was comforting to her. She felt that she had to have control and stability in her life. Without it, she didn't know what she would do.

She thought of the Force. She wished she could renounce it too, but she couldn't. The force to her was a curse. It had all but destroyed her family. Her family consisted of her mother, her father, and her grandmother. Together, they all lived in hiding from the Empire and its purge of Jedi. Corellia was the perfect place for them to hide, and that they did. Yet, somehow, the Emperor found out. He sent Darth Vader to hunt them out, and he succeeded. Fortunately for Jessica, she was not at home at the time. At the age of sixteen, she had more important places to be, or so they seemed to her at the time.

She returned home that night to find their apartment in ruins, and no sight of her family. Yet, the three neat piles of clothes and sabers lying on each of them told her that they were all dead. Despite wanting to give up everything they had sacrificed for her, she hurriedly packed up as much as she could and headed out. With her training as a Jedi, she knew she could survive on her own, but was afraid of it. She had to get of Corellia, though, since Vader was still looking for her. Smuggling, she thought, was the key.

Jessica was in and out of different smuggling groups until she had enough money to buy her own ship. Her false name of Katia Joablis provided her with protection. She gained quite a reputation as a smuggler and thought she would do it for the rest of her life, since the Empire showed no sign of defeat. She began to forget about everything, including the Force, as she slipped into the dark legions of smuggling.

She never had any intention of joining the Rebellion until she discovered a tiny computer chip hidden in her prized possession- her father's crimson lightsaber. The tiny chip was a holo of her mother, and told her everything that she needed to know. In it, her mother told her of her family ties. Told her that Emperor Palpatine was her grandfather.

Jessica listened as her mother's holo told her that her grandmother was a Jedi Knight and a senator in the days of the Old Republic. While serving the Senate, her grandmother fell in love with another Senator, one who had force abilities like herself. Together, they conceived a child - Jessica's mother. Her grandmother did not know she was pregnant, and blindly crossed over to the dark path to help her lover gain power in the Senate. When she did realize she was carrying a child, it was too late. Her lover had crossed over to the dark side to never return. He sought to have power of the entire galaxy.

And so her grandfather was Emperor Palpatine. Yet, she never would acknowledge him as so. He had destroyed her entire life. He had her parents murdered. He murdered his own daughter, and yet it caused him no grief. Jessica wanted to scream, but she called on the Force then to help calm her, and she finished watching the holo.

Her mother continued to give more information, but it wasn't about her. It was about Luke Skywalker, the son of Darth Vader. For some reason, all Jedi agreed that Luke Skywalker was the key to the downfall of the Empire. As her mother talked, she told Jessica that she must seek out Skywalker and protect him from the Empire until he could confront Vader.

After a long search, Jessica had finally caught up to Skywalker at Cloud City. Well, Skywalker's twin sister anyway. But, she was captured by Vader, and after a long battle, Vader defeated her. And so, after losing Skywalker, Vader then proceeded to turn her over to Palpatine.

Palpatine had given her the fleet she now had. He even gave her the title Princess Jessica. He actually showered her with affection- evil affection. Inside, though, Palpatine had his own plans. He knew that Vader intended for Skywalker to kill him so that they -as father and son- could rule the galaxy. Palpatine really intended for him and his granddaughter to rule the galaxy. Yet, to keep Jessica away from Vader, he sent her out to the Unknown Regions with the Dark Force Fleet.

After she left Coruscant with the fleet, though, she renounced her title and took on that of admiral. She did not want star systems to answer to her, only her fleet. She felt she should answer to someone, too. The crews of her fleet were those who weren't completely loyal to the Empire. He thought that her influence would be like that of himself and Darth Vader. He thought she would rule them with fear. He was wrong, however.

Captain Jeff Darkrider had brought out the light on her dark side. He was like a wake-up call. His cheeriness and devotion to her brought about the downfall of her old, dark self. At first, the chains of the Dark Side insisted that she not make friends, that she only refer to everyone as an inferior officer. But, soon, her passion for life broke through. In fact, every Friday was sabacc night. Jessica, Jeff, and some other senior officers, excluding Electra, of course, played sabacc every Friday. They drank Corellian Ale, a favorite of Jessica's that was on hand from the ship's bar, and told stories of life before they joined the Empire. The night usually ended with several drunk officers, and headaches the next morning.

Jessica flung herself down on her bed. Something was about to happen, something big. The Force gave her that much, but didn't reveal anything else. Her life was about to be turned upside down, and she couldn't prevent it. She closed her eyes and soon fell into a deep, troubled sleep.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

* * *

_He looked out the viewport of his ship, the _Rider's Journey_, and watched the immense Imperial Star Destroyer _Stalwart _locked its ion beams on the surface below. He could hear the Star Destroyer's communications to the surface. "Turn the Rebels over to our custody. If you refuse, you will be at the mercy of the Empire." _

_The surface of Garos IV immediately responded. "For the last time, there are no Rebels located in this town! We are all loyal Imperial citizens, and have done nothing wrong!" _

_Once again, his own comm lit up with the transmissions of the _Stalwart_. "I am sick of your lies! You will be punished for treason! Lieutenant Darkrider, fire at will!" _

_He sat straight up. Darkrider! No! It couldn't be! He watched helplessly as the Star Destroyer's ion cannons and turbolasers lanced the planet's surface to strike a particular city. His stomach wrenched as he flipped his comm switch and began to shout into it. "Freight Town, come in! This is _Rider's Journey_, come in Freight Town!" No response. Nothing but static. He was becoming frantic and then tried a different frequency. "Garos City Control, this is _Rider's Journey_, come in!" _

Rider's Journey_, we copy. What is the urgency?" _

_The urgency! What were these people doing? Twiddling their thumbs? Did they not notice the ImpStar Deuce hanging in orbit? "I cannot reach Freight Town. What is happening down there?" _

_He could hear a muffled swallow and the comm controller spoke in a deathly voice. "Haven't you heard? Freight Town was completely destroyed." _

_For what seemed like an eternity he sat in silence. The silence was then shattered by his own scream. "No! No!" _

_Blinded by hate and rage, he turned his small, but heavily modified YT-1300 toward the Star Destroyer. He began firing his concussion missiles at it, not caring where they were aimed. He could still hear the Star Destroyer's comm, and he heard "Return fire!" _

_Oh, no, they weren't going to get a chance at him. No way. Before he shot back into hyperspace, he gave the ImpStar his final goodbye for the time being. _

_"I'll see you in hell for this!"_

* * *

Michael Darkrider jumped up abruptly. He was covered with sweat and his breathing was shallow. The dreams had started again. It had been almost seventeen years since the incident. Seventeen years. And now why, after all these years, did the dreams start again. He checked the chrono meter to see it was a little past midnight, although time was irrelevant in deep hyperspace. He still had another five hours to go before he dropped out of hyperspace, and had hoped it would have been a time passed in a deep sleep. So much for that.

He got up from his chair in the cockpit of his ship, a Corellian YT-2400, the _Phoenix_, and made his way to the fresher. He looked in the mirror above the sink. His green eyes were full of such hatred and rage, yet filled with pain and despair at the same time. His long, brown hair was pulled into a neat ponytail. His features were clean shaven, and he was very handsome. He would have to cut his hair soon, though. Yet, he didn't want to look like his brother. Not twins, yet they looked so much alike. The man he hated most - even more than Palpatine himself - was his own brother.

Jeff Darkrider.

Jeff had caused him all the pain and grief he had ever suffered. His own brother had fired upon Freight Town so many years ago, killing their parents in the process. But that wasn't all. He had destroyed the one person that Michael loved more than life itself, his fiancee Katherine.

He sighed and splashed cold water on his face. Katherine, his sweet, beautiful Katherine. She had never done anything wrong. She was so beautiful and innocent. Blonde hair, icy blue eyes that could melt his heart. He smiled at her memory and splashed more water on his face to wash away the coming tears. He made his way back to the cockpit and sat down again afterwards.

He wondered about the dreams again. They always started with this one. Then the other would follow. One of a beautiful woman with brown eyes and long, brown, coppery hair. She was always holding a lightsaber, and its amethyst blade was glowing. He was always there too, holding a saber of his own with a crimson blade. Somehow, he knew -no he felt- that the saber he held had belonged to her and that they were friends, not enemies. He could feel that he had strong emotions for her, and that some were mixed. Yet who she was and what they were doing were completely oblivious to him. He only wished he knew.

He knew it really wasn't a dream, but really was a vision of the future. Unlike his brother and entire family, he had been born with a sensitivity to the mystical energy field known as the Force. He kept quiet about it during the Empire's reign, and even after the New Republic was established and Luke Skywalker started his Jedi Academy. He didn't want to be a Jedi. He had his own problems, and did not need to help the New Republic with theirs when the Jedi were needed. He had a small, yet profitable smuggling organization. He had six Marauder Corvettes, two Corellian Corvettes, one Dreadnaught, several squads of X-Wings, Y-Wings, and Z-95 headhunters, plus three modified Corellian Light Freighters, his own YT-2400 and one other YT-2400, plus a YT-1300. Keeping track of everything going on in his organization was enough trouble.

For almost seventeen years, he had tried to hide from his past. Now, for some reason, it was coming forward to haunt him again. Why were the dreams occurring? And occurring in such intensity. In the past they had always been so unclear, yet until recently, they had become so clear it was as if he was really there. Who was the woman, and how was she entwined in his so-called destiny? He sighed and stared out the viewport into the star lines formed by his passing through hyperspace.

Suddenly, his ship lurched forward and dropped out of hyperspace. "What the . . . ?" he said, trailing off as he slapped controls. He looked ahead and almost gasped. His ship had dropped out of hyperspace to avoid hitting something that wasn't on the charts.

A fleet of Star Destroyers. Ten of them to be exact. And in the lead was a Super Star Destroyer.

"What the hell?" he shouted out. "This is supposed to be the Unknown Regions, no freakin' Imps are supposed to be here!"

Seeing this, his thoughts turned to Katherine. He could at last avenge her death against the Imperials. The rage and hatred he had felt moments before surfaced, smoldering him. Revenge. Revenge. The only thing that his mind focused on was revenge. Even if it killed him. He could at last be with Katherine. Although he had so much, he longed to die. Suicide had crossed his mind many times, yet suicide was never the way out. Unless it was a suicide run against ten Star Destroyers.

He turned on his ion cannons and turbo lasers, armed his concussion missiles and went straight for the lead ship. The Super Star Destroyer.

_Like I said before, I will see you in hell!_

* * *

Captain Electra stood on the _Dark Force_'s bridge, staring out into space. Then, out of nowhere, a tiny Corellian Light Stock freighter YT-2400 dropped out of hyperspace. He blinked, wondering where in the world this ship had come from. He stared at, his curiosity fuming. Finally, a lieutenant spoke up. His voice was somewhat shaky, no doubt because he hadn't been under any combat for sixteen years. "Captain, the ship is preparing to fire upon us! Its moving to attack position!"

Electra smiled. A small ship against a fleet of Star Destroyers. Its captain was either courageous or naive. "Lieutenant, you may fire when ready." Ah, he would enjoy this. Killing someone who dared to invade his space. How he would relish the bright, red-gold glare that would appear when the ship exploded. He was shaken out of his reverie by the sound of bridge alarms, and silently cursed the lieutenant for activating them. In minutes, maybe even seconds, Jessica would appear on the bridge. And knowing her, she would demand him to stop. She was too kind. Not a true Imperial like he was. And he could not wait to take his place and show the fleet again what it meant to be Imperial.

* * *

Sitting in her ready room, Jessica Darken picked up her cup of cappuccino. In her short time on Coruscant - not really a fond memory for her - she had found the exotic drink to be slightly intoxicating. Its smooth chocolate flavor had a touch of coffee in it, and she always liked it when hot because of the whipped topping that floated on it. She took a sip and then looked up at the door to the room, a presence nearby. Sure enough, the door opened and Jeff Darkrider walked in. "Am I interrupting anything, Jessica?" he asked, he voice calm and pleasant.

She smiled up at him, a welcome sight after a long, tiring day. "No, not at all." She motioned to a chair beside her. "Have a seat. Can I get you anything? Coffee or something?"

He smiled at her. She was the admiral and he the lower officer, yet she always treated him like her equal. Like her best friend. "No, thanks, I'm fine. I thought I'd just come in and keep you company, maybe remind you to actually get some sleep tonight."

She then grinned. "Is it that obvious? If I don't finish these reports, then we shall never know how much resources the Empire has. I must do that for the --"

He held up his hand, and cut her off, about to say something himself.

And then, the bridge alarms went off, blaring around them.

Jessica jumped up and rushed to the door with Jeff in close pursuit behind her. They rushed to the bridge to find Captain Electra hovering around a lieutenant. And through the viewport she could see the lances of fire shooting from her Super Star Destroyer toward a tiny Corellian freighter. She stood, stunned and frozen in terror, as her ship returned fire again and again, hitting the tiny freighter and finally crippling it.

Dead in space, no weapons or anything, Electra was going in for the kill.

* * *

The cockpit was on fire. A small explosion in a control panel had sent him sprawling, and now, Michael Darkrider was barely conscious. His attempt was foolish, he knew, yet he would die knowing that Katherine would not be alone. She would not be alone.

_Get out of there!_

His voice was a hoarse whisper as he tried to look around to see who said that, "What . . . Who said that . . ."

It was no good, there was of course no one there. Yet, the voice came again, clearer and more constant.

_Get out of here! Go! Now before the ship blows!_

That voice. The voice from his dreams. Still, even in the hour of his demise, it haunted him.

_NOW!_

He jumped up with strength he never knew he had. He ran. He dug into reserves that he never knew existed. He ran and ran, almost blindly, yet the voice leading him.

_Into the escape pod. Now! Before it's too late!_

He jumped through the escape pod's door and hit a button. The door closed behind him and the pod ejected. Out the small window the pod had, he could see his ship dead in space as another bolt from the Super Star Destroyer lanced through it. The _Phoenix_ then exploded into a bright flare of red and gold only to be snuffed out by the airless expanse of space.

Leaving him alone floating helplessly in space.

* * *

"No!" Jessica shouted as she ran over to Electra. But it was too late. One more beam from the Star Destroyer's extensive array of heavy turbo lasers pierced the freighter causing it to explode into an awesome sight of red-gold fire. 

And still, she felt nothing but a life form out there. Alive and well.

Then she saw it. A tiny life pod careening away from the fire of the ship. Her senses told her a lone survivor, possibly the only one who was on the ship. The one she had told to get off his ship before it exploded, although she had no recollection of doing it. She turned to face the lieutenant and with her anger she choked him with invisible force hands. Not caring if she was giving into her anger. "Tractor the pod into the main docking bay! Now!"

She released him. He clutched his throat and choked out "Yes, Admiral!" as he worked the controls in front off him.

Looking to Jeff, she said, "Come on!" She then ran toward the turbo lift. Before stepping in, she glared at Electra. "You will pay dearly for this if the person dies!" Then the lift doors closed in front of her and Jeff.

With an evil smile, Electra spoke quietly to himself. "We shall see who pays, my dear. We shall see!"


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

* * *

She ran to the docking bay. With unnatural energy, she ran, leaving Jeff behind her gasping for breath. All the time thinking, hoping, that the person on the escape pad was alive. And finally she got there, with Jeff closing the gap. He gasped for breath, and yet, he walked over to the escape pod to open it. Stormtroopers were everywhere in the bay by now, and Jessica could sense the anxiety in everyone, including herself.

Then, the pod's door flew open, and out stepped something that made Jeff want to scream right there.

His brother.

Michael Darkrider.

Instead of a warm homecoming, the two lunged at each other's throat. Jeff, being the slower of the two, and Michael being quicker, grabbing his brother's throat, and squeezing with all his might. But his grip wouldn't last long as Jeff circled out with his feet locked them in place around Michael's ankles. He pulled inward and both tumbled to the cold metal floor. Jeff then swung at his brother's form, yet missed as Michael rolled across the floor. He then came up from behind Jeff and grabbed his throat again, squeezing to kill.

During all this, Jessica stood by and watched in a confused daze. She did not know who this person before her was, but Jeff did. And obviously, they weren't the best of friends. Her danger sense went off as Jeff leered toward unconsciousness from loss of air, and she reached down, gripping the mysterious person with her enhanced force grip and threw him to the side.

"Stop it both of you!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. Yet, the mystery man tried to get up and lunge at her even. She outstretched her hand toward him and sent him flying into the life pod. Jeff tried to get up as well, so she pushed both to the ground in an invisible, smothering blanket of the force. She pointed at the man, and asked, with no sign of diplomacy in her voice, "Who the hell are you?" She was angry, and it showed.

The man seemed to stare at her for a second, then spoke up. "Michael Darkrider."

"Darkrider?" she said. She then shot her questioning gaze at Jeff, who nodded at her, still lying on the ground where her force grip kept him.

"He's my brother," Jeff said.

She then looked back at Michael, who was fighting the grip. "You damn Imps!" he shouted. "Let me go! I'm going to kill you, Jeff!" He kept shouting.

Jessica finally clenched her fist together, cutting off his air supply. "Shut up and I'll release you." He fought more, but began to settle down as he could no longer keep focused. "There, now," she said as she released him, feeling as if she were talking to a child. "Listen, I will let you both up if you can act like mature adults and not little children."

Both men nodded, and she let the force grip go. "That's better. Jeff, this is your brother, correct?"

"Yes," he said, wanting to call her Jessica, but bit his tongue. If Michael knew she was dear to him, he might do something to her . . . "My brother, Michael Darkrider."

Glancing at Michael, Jessica spoke again. "I can see there is some friction between you two." _Dry understatement,_ she thought to herself. "Please, work it out. You," she said pointing to Michael, "are going to be on this ship a while, and I don't want you killing my best officer. I am Admiral Jessica Darken. You can call me Admiral, Jessica, or whatever. This is my ship, and you will go by my rules." She motioned for two stormtroopers to come forward.

"I am not staying here!" Michael shouted, and reached for his blaster. He got off a carefully aimed shot at Jessica, and fired tree more less skillfully aimed. Using the Force as her guide, she brought her saber up from its perch on her belt, and neatly deflected the bolts. He fired again at her, and she deflected it. He couldn't get off anymore as Jeff tackled him to the ground. Michael's blaster slide across the floor, and Jessica snatched it into her hand with a force pull. "Oh, I believe you are." By now the troopers had put binders on him although he was still fighting them. "Take him to the detention level. Jeff, come with me." She then stalked off.

* * *

Once inside of her ready room, she pointed to a chair. "Sit," she said, like giving commands to her pet. "Now, you want to explain to me what just happened?" 

Jeff sighed as he sat down. "Michael and I have our differences. I joined the Imperial Academy, and he stayed in the family business. That's all." _You liar,_ he said to himself. _There's more to it, and she'll never believe you. That's right, just tell her you killed your own family on the orders or your superior. Go ahead. Tell her you killed your brother's fiancee in that blast. And then she'll think you're a man who values the Empire above your own family._

"Jeff?" she said, and he looked up at her breaking his daze. "You okay? You kinda zoned out for a second."

"Yeah, I'm fine. But, just, what are you going to do to Michael?"

"Well, I'm going to let him cool down. Then I'm going to take him to his quarters. And maybe drill him over about the New Republic --"

She stopped abruptly at the look on Jeff's face. "No, not an interrogation. I just want to ask him some things, like about what's going on in the galaxy. Relax, he's not a prisoner. Although," she added with a slightly mischievous smile, breaking her harsh exterior, "if you two keep fighting, I'll throw you both in the brig."

He snapped to attention. "Yes, sir!" he said, adding his own smile.

* * *

Jessica marched into the cell occupied by Michael Darkrider. She looked him over carefully, noting his green eyes and long, brown hair. He was tall, like his brother, and very handsome. Yet there was something about him . . . She could not place it, yet something vaguely familiar. The way he sat, the way he walked. "You're a smuggler, aren't you?" she said, the thought dawning on her. Like from a dream . . . 

"Yeah," his voice cut through her thoughts. "So when is my execution? Gonna interrogate me first?"

She sighed. People always though she was bad news because she was an Imperial. "I'm not going to do anything of the sort. You are a guest aboard this ship. If you choose to be. If not, I'm sure there are other positions you can find yourself in. Of course, this is only temporary, until you get your new ship. On that matter, I would like to express apologizes. The ship's gunners are somewhat trigger happy, and acted on the orders of --"

"Jeff, no doubt," he said, cutting her off.

She stopped, and gazed into his eyes. "No, your brother was nowhere near the bridge. It was in fact my second in command, Captain Electra." She then added a cold smile not meant for him, but really for Electra. "Don't worry. Between you and I, he is on his way to becoming food for the Pit of Carkoon on Tatooine. Ever been there?"

"Oh, yeah. Really hot. Not an experience I want to live again." He let his composure slip, and was beginning to actually trust her. _No! Don't!_ An inner voice sounded. _These are the same people who murdered Katherine! Never, ever trust them!_ His despair was covered by a stoic face, yet his feelings radiated from him like heat.

"Who's Katherine?" Jessica asked, aware that the name had jumped at her along with his despair.

He gazed up at her, and for a moment, caught her eye. In it, he could see the troubled emotions she had, the pain, the loss, the sadness. He managed a weak smile, and resisted the urge to yield to her the information. "Just someone I knew once."

"Oh," she said, not believing a word he said about her, but continued on. "You can trust me, you know. Just because I wear this uniform does not mean I'm cruel and cold-hearted."

He continued to gaze at her, and then remembered what she was. She was a Jedi. Was she a Dark Jedi or a Light Jedi? Probably Dark, since she was Imperial. If she was Dark, she would have killed him by now, wouldn't she? She had just said that she wasn't like that, though. He nodded towards the lightsaber that rested on her hip. "Jedi?"

She smiled back to him. "Yeah. The last of the old, I believe. Or so my master told me."

He continued to gaze at her, studying her. "And who was that?"

She raised an eyebrow, curious as to why he was so curious about her. "My father and mother instructed me in the ways of the Force. Why is it that you are so concerned?"

"Oh, just curious."

She stretched out with the force, attempted to probe him, and then jumped back in surprise. "You are Force sensitive?"

"A little. Not much there to it. I was told I didn't have enough talent to actually become a Jedi. The only one in my family to actually show some Force potential."

"Oh. Maybe I could --"

"No! Just keep your old hokey religion to yourself. I have no use for it's ways in my field of business."

_Most weird,_ Jessica thought. _I think there is more to it than that. Maybe because I am Imperial he thinks I am a Dark Jedi._ "Oh, okay. I was just trying to be the gracious host. Well," she said motioning for her guards to leave her, "I will show you to your quarters."

He blinked. An Imp offering him quarters? Well, she said he could trust her. "There is one more thing," she said as he rose from his perch on the cell's cot.

"And that is?" Information I bet. Most likely on the New Republic.

"Please, don't try to kill your brother again. He is my best officer, and," she said, her voice softening from it's usual hardness, "a great friend."

He smiled at her, although it was not friendly, only bitterly sardonic. "Just keep him away from me and I think I can manage."

She smiled back, yet kept eyeing his smile. Just like Jeff's. She had now come to associate that smile as the Darkrider smile.

_Stay away from him, Princess, he's bad news._

She jerked her head up, wondering where the voice had come from. Her own, mental voice had scared her. Princess was something she hadn't been called in a long time. A nickname her father used when she was a little child. What made it surface now?

_You are the princess. You must claim your throne now or certain doom will come._

She laughed silently at the voice. A voice from the future, no doubt. The voices and feelings had almost always been right.

Yet, "almost" didn't count for much.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

* * *

Jessica Darken sat in her ready room reviewing the sensor data from the previous day's skirmish with Michael Darkrider. She then tossed the pad down on the table, and looked up with slightly wide eyes at Jeff Darkrider. "Your brother managed to take out three of my turbolasers and an ion cannon. How the hell did he do that?" 

Jeff smiled tightly. "He's a smuggler. Flying like that is something he's always done."

"Well, I'm impressed. I just wish I didn't have to watch my back every time I walk down the halls or wonder if the ship will self-destruct anytime soon." Jessica sighed, and yet, her curiosity was fuming.

"Then why didn't you keep him in the brig?" Jeff asked, and was hoping she'd put Michael there.

"Because I seek to earn his trust." Her answer was so simple, but truthful.

For a moment, they locked eyes. Jessica could see the lies that were between Jeff and Michael, and Jeff could see the girlish curiosity in Jessica that he had so fallen in love with. Yet, neither said anything. After that moment, though, they both went back to their own little worlds.

"If you'll excuse me, Jeff, there is something I need to do." And with that, Jessica stood, smiling politely, and the vanished out into the corridor.

* * *

Rallen Electra looked around his room, and paced nervously once more. Since yesterday, he had been confined to his quarters for firing upon the Corellian Light Stock Freighter that had so invaded the fleet's territory. Too bad it didn't kill the pilot, he thought. 

He continued to pace. Soon, very soon, a cloaked shuttle carrying ysalamari would be arriving. Then it would wait for the okay signal from Electra, and he would off load the ysalamari onto the _Dark Force_. But, that would be hard since he was confined to his quarters.

Yet, it was just one more obstacle in his path to complete control.

* * *

Despite Jessica Darken's promise to him as being a guest on her ship, Michael found himself locked in the quarters she had given him. He sighed, and found it useless to look for a way out. 

The door opened suddenly, and Jessica stepped in. Michael resisted the urge to attack her so he could escape. Instead, he just glared at her.

"There's no need for hate. Besides, is that anyway to treat an old friend?" Jessica asked, confusing Michael even more.

"Old friend? Just who the hell are you?" he shouted. Yet, he froze. The brown hair, the eyes, everything about her screamed at him.

"Katia Joablis?" he said almost softly.

A smile pierced Jessica's lips. "Yeah, I was Katia."

"What is going on?" This time, Michael fell down to the couch, lightheaded. Katia was supposed to be dead. And yet, here she was, alive and well. Well, actually, she was Jessica Darken. And he was totally confused.

Jessica moved and sat across from him in a cushioned chair. "I know this is very confusing for you. The truth is, though, that Katia was only my alias. You see, I was a Jedi, and was hunted by the Empire-"

Michael cut her off abruptly. "Jedi? Empire? Ha! Look at you! You are the Empire!"

Jessica ignored his comment and went on. "When you asked me to help find the Imperial spy on Garos IV, I agreed because I wanted to get rid of the Empire. I went along with the plan, but oddly, the spy released me. If I promised to never come to Garos IV again, she promised that she would not reveal me to the Empire."

Michael snorted softly. "Well, looks like she did."

Annoyed by his interruptions, Jessica rolled her eyes, a gesture she had done so many times when she was younger. "Actually, I was captured at Cloud City. A very long story in itself. And now, I assume you're dying to know why I'm with the Empire."

"Well, now that you mention it . . ."

Jessica sighed, took a deep breath. "After being captured at Cloud City, and ultimately being forced to the Dark Side, I was taken back to Coruscant. There, I was placed in command of this fleet and sent here to help Thrawn."

Michael studied her face carefully. "Who gave you the fleet? Palpatine?"

"My . . . grandfather gave me the fleet."

He arched an eyebrow, and had a deep feeling that he didn't want to know who her grandfather was.

Another deep breath, and Jessica finally said it. "Yes, Palpatine is my grandfather. I figured for there to be any sort of trust between us that you should know."

Michael's eyes widened and he swallowed. "Him? Your grandfather?" His voice was small, like that of a scared child, yet only because he realized his situation. Here he was, in the same room with Palpatine's granddaughter, the heir to the empire, but yet, she seemed to be the epitome of innocence. She was Jessica Darken, not Katia Joablis. He knew she lied to him once, and she could do it again.

Jessica sat silently through Michael's own silent expulsion of emotion. He looked up at her. Hundreds of questions raced through his mind. Was she like Palpatine? Did she want to rule the entire galaxy? Was she a Dark Jedi? And most of all, would she kill him? But, if she wanted to, she would have already. Perhaps she wasn't evil. In fact, she had assured him that she wasn't. Palpatine's granddaughter be . . . nice? Well, it could happen. Actually, it did. He remembered Luke Skywalker and his sister Leia Organa Solo. Darth Vader's children. Both were good. Light Jedi, and Leia was even in charge of the New Republic. Even in the end, Admiral Pellaeon turned out to be good too. Just maybe he was wrong about her.

"I know what you're thinking," Jessica said softly. She glanced at Michael, who was in turn staring straight at her. "You think I'm evil, just like my grandfather. But, I'm not. Just because of my political affiliation does not mean I'm evil."

Michael sighed. She had a very good point. Very good indeed. He knew he should give her a chance, and would give it. It was not like he had much of a choice anyway.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

* * *

Despite being confined to quarters, Electra was able to find his way out of it. The two ensigns guarding him were easily swayed, and he was out and about. _A pity,_ he thought as he walked to the docking bay. _All these young men who actually refuse to resign themselves to me will die._ Loyalty was never anything Electra understood. Without its understanding, he would always falter. 

He moved quietly, almost stealthily throughout the _Dark Force_. The men he passed had either been to stupid to notice him, or they didn't know he was supposed to be confined to quarters. _Probably too stupid,_ he thought. He sighed. Nothing was a challenge anymore. Soon, Jessica Darken would be dead, and the meddlesome Jeff Darkrider along with her. Then he would torture the man that had inflicted damage upon his Super Star Destroyer. Or so he claimed the _Dark Force_ was his. Yet, none of this seemed challenging, and he would have to find it elsewhere.

He made it to the docking bay barely in time. At that moment, the _Dark Force_'s sensors went dead. Little did anyone know, New Republic or Empire, was that the _Dark Force_ was the prototype for a new kind of Super Star Destroyer. It had a cloaking device. The perfect weapon, the only one of its kind. Even after all the trials of Thrawn's cloaking device, none had achieved what the _Dark Force_ had, which was the fact that it could fire while cloaked. Yet, the man who had designed it was killed in an unfortunate accident when he tried to defect to the Rebellion. So much for the perfect cloaking device being on every ship.

The tiny shuttle waiting in the _Dark Force_'s shadow came forth to the docking bay. With the cloak up, no one would ever know what was happening. In a matter of minutes, the shuttle had landed, and Electra's prize won. Two ysalamari, enough to make even the weakest of Jedi powerless. He smiled to himself as he brought his blaster to the skull of the pilot, pulling the trigger and sending a burst of energy through his brain. Electra couldn't have witnesses, now could he?

Soon enough, Jessica would want to leave the _Dark Force_ to go to one of the other ships. When she did, he would accompany her. They would take this shuttle. Then he would kill her. Plain and simple. So easy.

He dumped the body into a nearby trash disposal. He made his way back to his room, a smile teasing his lips the entire way. He was so smart. Everything was falling into place. Soon, Jessica would be dead, the Empire his, and the New Republic gone.

Life couldn't be any better.

* * *

They talked throughout the day. The past years, the happy times, the sad times, times when they thought they could go on no more, the times where they wanted to go on. As the day passed, Michael Darkrider and Jessica Darken felt as if they had known each other for ages. She smiled, he smiled. They forgot about their petty political differences, Jessica forgot about her vow to never get close to anyone, Michael forgot about his vow never to love another again. And so, they grew close. 

Though, neither of them could have stopped it either. For once, the one called Katia and a young Michael had come to the brink of love, yet stopped. Then, Michael was eighteen, and engaged to Katherine Jarris. Jessica was a fugitive of the Empire, on the run, and deep into the darkness of the smuggling business. One week on Garos IV almost changed that for them. As they worked together to attempt to catch an Imperial spy, they grew close. She attended a pod race he actually flew in- only the second human to do so. And he taught her something called martial arts. Jessica remembered sparing with him all to well- he got her down to the ground, and though he thought he was victorious as he stood over her, she tripped him, and he landed almost on top of her. Their eyes had locked, and they were swept up in the moment, their lips meeting for a brief second before they jumped up, realizing what they were doing.

Jessica sighed, returning to the future as she realized how long she had been in Michael's quarters. She missed the cloak test, and about everything else that was happening. She needed to leave, yet she needed to stay. She was so confused, but refused to let duty interfere. She smiled at Michael as he spoke.

"And so, to me, Coruscant was nothing but a giant waste land. I even met Darth Vader there--"

Jessica froze.

_Darth Vader_.

Her parents.

Murder.

_Murder_.

_Vader murdered your parents!_

_Never love anyone again! Never! You'll lose them!_

She jumped up abruptly. "I need to go. I really have things to do. I guess I'll see you later." She walked away quickly and out the door, not giving him a word edgewise.

He shook his head as the door to his quarters shut. Her mood had suddenly changed, and he knew it. His Force talents were not trained so well in the area of mind reading, but he could feel almost everything she was feeling. That was, until she shut him off. He was abruptly shut off. One minute he could feel her, everything she was thinking, and then the next, a wall had fallen between them. He had no idea what caused it, but he wanted to know. He had to know because...

He sighed.

He was in love with her.

He had been, in a sense, every since he first met her on Garos. Although he loved Katherine, and she was his soul mate -or was she? - but deep inside, he loved Jessica.

Because deep inside, he knew Jessica was just like Katherine. Independent, smart, willful, outgoing, daring, adventurous. Everything he loved about Katherine, Jessica possessed. He thought he would never love again, and yet, in a matter of hours, he was in love. Not just a spur of the moment love, either. A commitment love. Marriage. Children. Growing old together. Those he wanted to spend with Jessica.

_I'm crazy!_ He thought. _She works for the Empire! How could I? I've only known her for a day!_

But, deep inside, he knew what his brain was telling him was a lie, and that his heart would prevail. A day, another lie his mind formed, for he had known her those many years previous.

The first step in his heart prevailing was to go to Jeff -if Jessica didn't lock the door again when she left- and see just what it was Jessica was afraid of. Why had she left so miserable. Jeff was close to her, he knew, and Jeff would have the answer.

If they didn't kill each other first.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

* * *

Jeff Darkrider had just settled down for the night. He sipped on his cup of espresso, a favorite of his, and he sighed. Jessica had been with Michael all day. He wondered what had gone on in there, but left it to Jessica's better judgement. He was the inferior officer and she his superior - he had no right to question her authority. The door chime then sounded, and he sighed again as he got up. So much for relaxing. 

He opened the door to see Michael Darkrider looking him in the face. Instead of the peaceful meeting Michael had hoped for, he was instead greeted by a left hand hook to his jaw. Jeff's hand connected, Michael not expecting it. He started at Jeff for a brief second, then all hell broke loose.

Michael charged Jeff, slamming him into the wall of his quarters. Retaliating, Jeff brought his foot up and kicked Michael off of him. At a loss for breath, Michael stood almost wearily, yet swung around, bringing his right leg up, connecting it to Jeff's face. Jeff landed with a thud onto a wooden table, yet jumped back up. He then swung his arm around, catching Michael across the nose. The force was enough to knock Michael down onto a small chair. As he fell, he kicked out with his legs and swept Jeff onto the floor. Unable to take anymore, both men just sat there, gasping for air.

"What the hell do you want?" Jeff asked between breaths.

"I . . .came to talk about . . . Jessica." Michael finally spat out. He wiped his hand across his nose to reveal a smear of crimson. He wanted nothing more than to pound Jeff more for that, but he came to talk about Jessica.

"What about?" By now, Jeff has regained his breath. Although older than Michael, he was always the faster one to recover.

"Why does she close herself off? Why does she shut others out?" Michael pulled himself to his feet, surveyed the damage. A broken chair, a broken table, and other things lying about. So much for peaceful.

Jeff sighed as he sat himself down onto the couch. "She does what she does because of what happened to her parents." No more in the mood to fight, Jeff resigned to his younger brother. "They were murdered when she was 16."

"Sounds like someone I know . . ." Michael bit back. His parents were killed when he was 18, not much better off.

"Give me a break!" Jeff shouted. "It wasn't my fault! How was I to know?"

Michael rolled his eyes. "Just . . . tell me what happened to Jessica."

"She and her family hid on Corellia from the Jedi Purge. Yet, they were found out by Darth Vader. Jessica came home one day from school and found that her parents were dead. They were all that mattered to her, and ever since she hasn't been able to realize that it wasn't her fault." He picked up part of the broken chair, and then wondered whatever happened to his cup of espresso.

"Why are you wanting to know so much about her?" he asked cautiously. Even before he heard it from Michael, Jeff knew that the impossible had happened, just in one day.

"Because . . . Strange as it may sound, I care for her." Michael sighed, then walked to the open door. Between clenched teeth, he said, "Thank you very much."

"You're welcome," Jeff spat back.

* * *

Michael caught a glimpse of an Imperial uniform as he turned the corner. It was Jessica and she was in a hurry. Quickening his pace, her caught up to her, grabbed her arm. "We have to talk," he said, pushing her gently into her quarters. He locked his eyes on her confused face, and continued, "Once upon a time, the woman I loved was killed." 

Jessica studied Michael's face, all the time wondering why he was telling her this. "Her name was Katherine. She was . . ." he trailed off, remembering Katherine, "very beautiful. Blonde hair, blue eyes, and a very strong will." He paused for a moment, glancing at Jessica. Looking at her, he realized she had the same iron will that Katherine used to possess him. Shaking the thought away, he continued. "We were to be married. A few weeks before the wedding, I went on a small trade mission for the family business. I came back just in time to see my hometown destroyed by an Imperial Star Destroyer. There were . . . no survivors." He swallowed hard, forcing his tears back. What he didn't tell her was that his own brother was the one who fired on their town, acting on behalf of his damned Empire, killing their parents and Katherine.

He looked over at Jessica again, and caught her confused gaze. "Jessica, what I'm trying to say is that it's not your fault. You can't keep living just so you can die. Don't let life pass you by."

Something inside of her snapped, and a tiny voice said _Go with it._ Go with what? She gazed up at Michael, and saw what it was that had been nagging her ever since he came aboard the Dark Force and stepped into her life. Here was potential for a new life, and she was trying her best to push it all away.

Michael looked deep into Jessica's eyes, and there he saw everything that haunted her. He could see the lost child there. The one that never came out, and always hid from everyone. The pain of losing what claim she had to life. The pain of losing those she loved more than life itself. The confusion of learning to love again. And he, too, shared that pain. The pain of losing Katherine had ripped him apart, had left a hole inside of him the wasn't comparable to anything. And now, the pain wasn't throbbing as much as it had in recent times. The only thing he had was an impulse. He then gave into that impulse. He let his lips touch hers, and savor the flavor they had. He almost demanded that she respond, and she did, with equal intensity. For almost what seemed like an eternity, he pulled back and let out a deep sigh. Jessica gasped for breath, yet was not angry. Instead, she only wanted to kiss him more, to feel what she was feeling. She laid her hand on his cheek and rested her lips on his once more, venturing out on her own. Neither knew it when they fell back onto the bed, nor did they want to stop their newfound love from growing.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

* * *

Slowly, Jessica came back from the land of sleep, a smile slowly starting to tease her lips. The warmth she felt was unaccustomed, yet welcomed. She turned over in Michael's embrace and faced him. Although barely awake himself, he smiled. "Hey," he said softly. 

"Hey yourself." She wrapped both arms around him, once again forgetting her troubles. Briefly, though, she thought of how she was going to explain this to Jeff.

_You don't_, a voice said in her head.

_What? Who said that? _

_I did_, the voice came again. Michael's voice, through the Force.

She laughed out loud. She had heard of this through her training. When two Jedi Knights were in love, they could feel each other's feelings. But, that was two Jedi Knights. Michael wasn't a Knight, he said so himself. _You lied to me those years ago. Why?_ The knowledge was like a sledge hammer. But, yet, she knew, she had known the whole time.

_Easy. It was trust._

_Something we both have little of..._ Jessica added.

_Actually, we do. We trust each other._ He kissed her softly at first, but then the kiss became deeper, more passionate, as if he was assuring her of his love. Although he had only been onboard for a few days, and of those he spent two with Jessica, he was completely in love with her. _Strange the way things turn out. It was almost as if it was--_

"Our destiny," she finished aloud for him as she pulled away from him.

"Exactly," he said. He smiled at her, and she smiled back. This was the woman who had finally convinced him of what he should do with the rest of his life. Always keeping her emotions hidden, never letting them out. And yet, he brought them out. He sighed happily, his mind made up. Buried deep in his mind where Jessica couldn't find out, was a burning question. Would she marry him?

The door to Jessica's quarters suddenly chimed. For a split second, they almost panicked, but it ended in silent giggles. So, who cared what they did. After all, they were consenting adults, and it was no one else's business. But, Jessica knew for some reason it should be a secret, and leapt up from the bed. She flung on her robe, almost tripping over clothes that were strewn about.

_Stay there,_ she commanded silently to Michael, a hint of regal bearing showing its face.

She walked into the living room, and smoothed down her hair. She opened the door to see Jeff standing there, a stern look on his face. "What is it," she asked, wondering if he knew.

"There's quite a large fleet here. Smuggling fleet; I believe it's Michael's." He stood there, no emotions toying with his face. He was so glad that they actually could get rid of Michael. He didn't care about releasing him, he just wanted him to go away. Michael would never let him live his parents' death down. And that was something he'd been trying to do for sixteen years.

"Okay. I suppose we should let him go then. I'll go down to his quarters and tell him." _I'm not being too quick, am I?_ she thought. She was rushing him off, but he didn't seem to notice.

"Yes. I'll go to the bridge and wait there for you, Admiral." He then stalked off, seemingly preoccupied.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Jessica went back into the other room. But, the relief passed as she realized Michael was going to leave. And probably never come back. The words came, yet almost painfully. "Jeff said there's a fleet here for you. You can take a shuttle out and get back to your life, I suppose."

She tried to close herself off to him, but to no prevail. After all that happened in two days, he would leave. Just like that. He would go back to his world, and she to hers. He would be getting drunk in cantinas, going home with anyone, just like a smuggler. She would be doing paper work, war games, just like a good admiral should.

"Don't think that, Jessica. I would never do that to you. Never," Michael whispered in her ear. He took a deep breath. Now for the words that he longed to say, but didn't know how, or just when to say them. "I love you."

He turned her to face him. "I want to hear you say it. I know you love me, but I want to hear you say it. Please Jessica, don't close me off."

She shook her head. He loved her, and she loved him. But what was she afraid of?

_Being hurt,_ he said to her mentally.

She locked he gaze on his, the momentary anger at her having her mind read passing. "I love you too," she said finally. _And that will have to do,_ she thought.

"No, it won't. I'm coming back. I will be back for you, and when I do, I want to marry you."

This time, her eyes widened. None of the Jedi training she had could prepare her for what he wanted. Nothing in the entire galaxy. Yet, she wanted it as badly as he did. And she would accept his proposal. Nothing but him mattered anymore. Nothing at all. She grabbed his hands, holding them in hers. She nodded, not saying anything, for her vocal chords were locked up.

Michael kissed her warmly once more, than began to put on his clothes. "Come on, " he said, "Better not keep them waiting."

Jessica smiled at him. "Of course not."

* * *

Jessica and Michael made their way to the bridge, both high strung and nervous. Yet, they calmed each other by their mental telepathy of words. Once to the bridge, Jessica suggested they hail Michael's ship. His ship, the Dreadnaught _Black Knight_, was close enough to the _Dark Force_ to blow it to pieces, provided if its shields were down. The holo comm buzzed, and Jessica strode over to it. She stepped onto the plate, and hit the transmit/receive button. She stared at the holo before. A woman, long brown hair in a braid, emerald green eyes, short, yet trim. "I am Admiral Jessica Darken of the Star Destroyer _Dark Force_. What can I do for you?" 

The holo of the woman glared back. "You know what you can do! Give me back my brother!" She shouted.

_Brother?_ Jessica glanced at Michael questioningly. She opened her mind to him, not wanting him to explain to everyone. The mental voice came, said _My older sister, Jade Darkrider._

"Jade?" Jeff whispered. It had been so long since he'd seen her.

Jade's holo glared at Jessica, then at Jeff. "It figures. You and your damned Empire." Obviously, Jade wasn't too happy to see Jeff.

"Nice family reunion . . ." Jessica muttered. "Michael is on his way now. Please, leave after he is aboard." She turned to Commander Rajahlintz. "Please escort him to the docking bay and give him a shuttle."

"As you wish, Admiral."

Jessica stared after Michael as he walked away. He stared back, trying not to be obvious. _I love you..._ Jessica whispered in his mind.

_And I you. Remember, you said you'd marry me!_ He called at her, and smiled.

Jessica smiled, then, and stepped off the holo plate. Today was actually starting to look good. Very good indeed.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

* * *

Although Captain Electra had expected to be in his quarters for a very long time, he was surprised when a guard came and told him he could go back to duty. He jumped up, not caring how excited he looked. He had heard the buzz that Michael Darkrider had been released to his own fleet, and Electra found that, that was easy to believe. Especially with Jessica in charge. 

Once back on the bridge, he checked the schedule for the day. Hopefully, sometime soon, Jessica had a scheduled trip to one of the other ships in the fleet. Oh nine hundred hours - War games; One hundred hours - Inspection of the _Imperial Pride_; Three hundred -

Whoa, back up. At one o'clock, they would be going to the _Imperial Pride_. Perfect! On the shuttle ride over to the Pride, he could easily kill her. The ysalamiri on the shuttle insured that, although he still very much doubted her so-called powers. He sighed. He would be somewhat jittery until the time came to execute his plans. And yet, he could keep himself in check, he was sure of it.

He glanced at Jessica, who was sitting in the command chair in the center of the bridge. She looked distracted, yet, for some unknown reason, happy. It was confounding to him why she would be so excited--

No, he knew. All he had to do was piece it together. Michael Darkrider, missing from his quarters for an entire night; Jessica and him then strolling on the bridge together the next morning, as if they were old comrades. Its was all to clear: they were in love with each other. And, to satisfy his need to kill Michael Darkrider, he would catch him, after he had disposed of Jessica. A new plan formed, one for which he would dispose of Michael Darkrider. Plain and simple, if he told Michael that he had killed Jessica, he would be outraged - he had to be, Electra knew the type; recklessly in love. He would be so angered, he would be blinded by rage, not thinking clearly, and Electra could easily kill him. Everything was so simple these days!

Suddenly, the bridge was rocked by what seemed to be an explosion. The war games had started. Electra sighed, and assumed his role as the captain who had to direct his crew in a battle situation. Although he knew his role was as their true leader, he despised the war games. He would love that day when he would be in real combat. Not here, with Jessica watching his every move. He sighed again, looking over to Command Rajahlinzt and an ensign who was as naive as they came. The ensign was in charge of the forward turbolaser implements and the forward ion cannons. The _Imperial Pride_ was the attacking ship, and was firing a spread of laser blasts, along with ion blasts, towards the bridge shields. Once they collapsed, the Super Star Destroyer would be crippled if anything got through, just like the _Executor_ was at the Battle of Endor. The ensign in turn fired a spread of lasers from the heavy turbolasers, not even bothering to knock out the _Pride_ with ion cannons. _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ Electra thought.

Although the _Pride_'s shields were weaker than the _Dark Force_'s, the _Pride_ was still inflicting great damage aboard the Super Star Destroyer. Yet, the laser fire from it soon knocked out the _Pride_'s shields. The Pride quickly moved out of the way, and the ImpStar Deuce _Rotana_ took its place, its shields fully intact. Electra soon realized that the opposing ships would continue their attack on the bridge until its shields were down, no matter what. Even if they lost a few ships. The _Dark Force_ couldn't even move; the five Victory Star Destroyers were in place around it, keeping it in place, also firing at the _Force_.

All to soon, the game was over. The _Dark Force_ had lost all shields, and the bridge's hull had breeched. Electra glanced up at Jessica, who had not made a sound during the entire game. Now, she was coming over to where he was, behind the ensign. "What the hell were you thinking of?" she asked, her voice loud enough for everyone to hear it.

The question was obviously directed at the ensign. "I- I don't know, sir," he said, his voice shaky, expecting the unexpected.

"You don't know?" By now, she was angry, yet trying to control it. "Did you or did you not know what the _Imperial Pride_ was doing?"

"No, sir."

"Who trained you?" she asked, he voice still edgy.

"Command Rajahlinzt, sir."

Jessica turned to him. Jessica looked over at the ensign, and back to Commander Rajahlinzt. "So, it was your responsibility to train him, Commander. Why did you neglect this part of his training?"

Commander Rajahlinzt knew that Jessica was related to the late Emperor Palpatine, knew that she had powers like that of Darth Vader and the Emperor. He knew the stories of what happened when you failed Vader or the Emperor. If one failed Vader, his death was quick, unlike the slow, painful death the Emperor would bestow upon someone who failed. But Commander Rajahlinzt feared that since she was related to Palpatine, she would make him pay for his mistake with a slow, painful death. He finally spoke up, his voice shaking with fear. "I did not have the time to train him, Admiral."

Jessica continued to look at Rajahlinzt. "Your error made an even larger one." She raised her hand.

"Admiral!" Rajahlinzt shouted, expecting the invisible hand of the force to block his breathing passages, causing death. "I beg you! Please, don't!"

The invisible hand of the force never came; only Jessica's sonorous voice, now hardened into an icy knife by her losses and her anger toward Rajahlinzt. "You are both dismissed. Go, teach him the move."

Rajahlinzt swallowed, then let out a deep breath. "Yes, Admiral," he said.

Jessica then looked at Captain Electra. She spoke with an emotionless voice. "We should hurry to the _Imperial Pride_ and complete the inspection, then make a jump out of this system before the New Republic finds out we're here."

A slight smile crossed his face. His tone was filled with hidden sarcasm. "As you wish, Admiral." Electra knew the time to act was now. _It's so simple,_ he thought. _I will just kill her on the shuttle ride to the _Imperial Pride_. Her sorcerer's ways do not frighten me like others are, and like others were afraid of Vader and the Emperor. Both are dead, so those powers they claimed made them omnipotent aren't really omnipotent. Besides, the ysalamiri that are on the shuttle are proof of her vulnerability._ Inside of his mind, Electra laughed. _Too bad I have to kill her. She is so beautiful, and it'd be a waste, just like Prturph said._

Jessica had started for the lift tube, leaving Electra in his daze. Electra blinked his eyes, broke himself free from his daydream. He walked fast to catch up to Jessica. Jessica then turned around, her hand extended with her lightsaber in it, ignited. Before he could react, a bolt came from a blaster in Jessica's other hand to hit him square in the chest. He fell to the ground, wondering where he went wrong in his plans. He looked up at her standing over him, and forever was her cold expression buried in his mind as he slipped away.

Jessica tore her gaze from his lifeless eyes and looked at her saber. She extinguished it, then turned to face the shocked looks of the bridge crew. She took a deep breath, then spoke. "I will answer all of your questions in due time, starting with the explanation of Electra's unfortunate death." Her voice was defiant, not showing a hint of her emotional explosion, yet it was cold and harsh at the same time with her bitter sarcasm. This bitter sarcasm and coldness were just facades, though, in which she hid her true warm, loving nature behind.

_It's now or never,_ she thought. "Captain Electra," she began, "was a traitor to me. He had planned to overthrow me. He wanted to take the fleet and use it to reform the Empire. I do not want that, not only for me, but for you." Her eyes passed over the faces of the bridge crew. They were the epitomes of innocence. _Still young and innocent,_ she thought.

She continued. "You would be killed in senseless battles against the warring factions of the Empire, or the New Republic itself. There is only one way out of this. One way for us to stop running. And that is to join the New Republic." Jessica waited for the murmur of disapproval to spread among the young officers, but an uneasy silence befell the officers. She went on again. "As most of you know, I am related to the late Emperor Palpatine. He was my grandfather. This means that I am the rightful heir to the Empire." Jessica clenched her jaw together. The words had come from her mouth so easily. _He was my grandfather._ She fought to control the involuntary shiver that ran through her body.

She shrugged the thought off. "From the ashes of the old Empire will rise the New Empire. As the leader of the New Empire, I will sign a peace treaty with the New Republic. It will, in no doubt, stop the petty fighting that continues all over the galaxy."

Jessica stood in silence for what seemed like ages. The applause started behind her. She whirled around to face a smiling Captain Jeff Darkrider. Jessica flashed him a rare smile as the entire bridge erupted into cheers and applause. The doubts and tension escaped from her shoulders as she let out a deep breath. In the place of tension and doubt, a sudden coldness appeared. It whispered to her, told her that she could have everything, the galaxy, all the power she could want. Only if she joined the dark side.

Deep inside, she laughed at the voice. _I can have everything? Can you bring my parents back?_ This only provoked silence from the voice. _I thought so,_ she replied to the voice's silence. _You could never bring them back._ She gritted her teeth at the thoughts of her loved ones. If only they were here now. But they aren't and won't be.

"I will escort you to the _Imperial Pride_," Jeff said, breaking her thoughts. Although he was silent throughout her impromptu speech, Jessica knew his mind was racing with thoughts. She knew he had wanted her to do this. He had even suggested it to her. His silence was a comfort to her, yet she did not know why.

"As you wish, Captain Darkrider." Once everything was complete in her formation of the New Empire, she would promote him. She did not know if she would promote herself to empress or not, but she knew she would promote Jeff. _He deserves it,_ she thought. Jessica couldn't help but notice as she walked toward the lift tube with Jeff that the voice had returned. The voice kept whispering its false promises. Promises of power, of beauty. Only for a small price . . .

_Join the dark side!_

_Never!_ She shouted. _Never will I join you!_

_Never..._

_But you already have..._

She thought of Captain Electra's headless body lying on the deck. _No, it was justified. He committed an act of treason. It was him or me._ But she knew that it was wrong, she gave into her anger. But it wasn't enough. It never would be enough. If she did commit to the dark side again, she could avenge his death by killing all that were involved with Electra. But if she did commit to the dark side, she would destroy all for which her had sacrificed for her. All that they gave her.

_Think of it as you will, but you belong to the dark side._

_Never..._

* * *

Jessica sighed, and sank into the black couch in her quarters. It was made of material so soft, and was piled high to provide maximum comfort. And today, she needed it. On top of everything brought on by the seemingly endless day of questions about her proposed plan to join the New Republic, her loss of Michael only made it worse. She closed her eyes, willing the tears away. He said he would come back. But, then again, he was a smuggler, and everybody knew that smugglers could not be trusted. 

Oh, who was she trying fool? "Myself..." she said aloud to the empty room. Trying to blame it on his past was ludicrous. Besides, just because he hadn't returned yet didn't mean he wouldn't return. In fact, he'd only been gone one day. He would return, and they'd be married. She was just panicking. _Hey, she reminded herself, you've got plenty of things to do, like write up a treaty for Princess Leia to sign._ She sighed again, and hopped to her feet. "Better get started on that now."

She recalled everything she had learned, and was surprised to find that it was very little in the ways of political affairs. "Hmm . . . I should know something about politics, " she said aloud to herself, finding some comfort in hearing her own voice. "How hard can it be?"


End file.
